Rise-Rover: A Wall-Climbing Robot with High Reliability and Load-Carrying Capacity (Industrial Robot Innovation Award)

Abstract: This paper presents Rise-Rover, a new generation wall-climbing robot with high reliability and load-carrying capacity on vertical surfaces for Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) of concrete and steel infrastructure. One Rise-Rover drivetrain module can operate on both smooth and rough vertical/inclined surfaces independently. The on-board electronics and PID controller monitor the pressure reading and adjust impeller speed to provide stable suction force for the wall-climbing robot. The use of duct fan and tether further increase the operation reliability. Rise-Rover is remotely controlled by Android smartphone via Wifi, and the User Interface (UI) provides good usability and convenience. The experimental test verified the good performance of the Rise-Rover prototype.